A new era has dawned for the historic Bray Rowing Club after its successful bid to take over the tenancy of the Bray Boxing Club building. The facility has remained closed since a murder was perpetrated there in 2018. Before its closure, it was best known for being Olympic gold medallist Katie Taylor’s local boxing club.
Wicklow County Council (WCC) had taken sole possession of the seafront building following the fatal attack on June 5th, 2018, when a lone gunman walked in on an early morning training session and opened fire, shooting dead Bobby Messett, a 50-year-old father of three.
Taylor’s father and former coach, Peter Taylor, was also shot and injured in the incident, as was Ian Britton, who was also training in the club. No definitive motive was ever established for the attack. Gerard Cervi was found guilty of the murder by unanimous verdict in 2023 and sentenced to life in prison.
Founded in 1935, Bray Rowing Club has been without a permanent home since its last premises on Strand Road, a repurposed bus shelter next to the Star Amusements, was condemned in October 2022.
Last July, WCC invited expressions of interest from any sports clubs who wished to lease the former boxing club building. This was on the provision they were “fully constituted, not-for-profit sports clubs playing sports that are recognised by the Irish Sports Council, and which are located in the Bray Municipal District area”.
Three local clubs submitted their interests, ahead of the final recommendation at the Council’s December monthly meeting. Along with Bray Rowing Club, there were submissions from Enniskerry Boxing Club – home to 2024 Olympian Daina Moorehouse – and Liberty Boxing Gym.
Bray Rowing Club was successful on several grounds, including its enduring need for a home and its pledge to continue strengthening disability inclusion in sport. The building on Harbour Road also allows for easy access to the water.
The former Bray Boxing Club will now be used by Bray Rowing Club. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times
“It will be the makings of the club, the first time we’ve really had a decent premises,” said club chairperson John Curran. “We’ve been without a home since 2022, have been changing on the promenade and we’re really excited and looking forward to getting into it now.
“The building has been closed up for 7½ years, so this is a positive outcome for all of Bray. The big thing for us was we have to be beside the sea, so that was another deciding factor.
“We’re hoping to get the keys before the end of this month and there will be a few modifications required, like widening the doors so the boats can get in and out. But we’ll have the rowing machines on the upper floor and hope to start training soon for the new season.
“We’re also meeting with two other clubs in the area, the Sea Scouts and Sailing Club, to get something more going between the three of us.”
Although Bray Rowing Club specialises in coastal rowing, it also has development plans for scull rowing. There are currently around 60 members.
Katie Taylor and fellow Irish boxer Adam Nolan at Bray Boxing Club following its refurbishment in 2014. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times
Bray Boxing Club had previously been based at a temporary site on Harbour Road. In May, 2012, three months before Katie Taylor won gold at the London Olympics, a report highlighted the “third-world conditions” of the club. It lacked a shower and had no toilet facilities for women, who were facilitated in the nearby Harbour Bar.
In 2013, then Minister of State for Sport Michael Ring announced a special allocation of €1 million in Government funding for boxing clubs to upgrade training facilities for young boxers, particularly women.
In January, 2014, Bray Boxing Club was reopened after a €300,000 facelift, with Katie Taylor present on the day alongside London Olympics teammate Adam Nolan. Bray Town Council had secured €190,000 in funding from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport to fund the building, and invested €100,000 from its own resources.